Best of Burlington - Fall 2020

FALL 2020

VOLUME 13 NO 4

PLEIN AIR PAINTINGS

BY KATHARINE MONTSTREAM

VERMONT’S HUT NETWORK GO EXPLORING THEN RELAX IN COMFORT

MOUNTAIN BIKING AT COCHRAN’S A TALE OF TWO RIDES SPECIAL SECTION

B U R L I N GTO N

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Unique pieceS and equisite raritieS

At Ardesh Finds & Furnishing you will find a wide range of 18-20th Century home decor.

Do you have high quality, unique items that you are ready to part with?

Currently seeking new inventory ARDESH is over 10,000 square feet of unique furniture and ‘finds’ to complement a wide range of decorating tastes and styles. Owner Danial ARDESH is constantly on the hunt for well-made, fun and interesting items to bring into the store. Our many loyal customers have come to appreciate Danial’s knack for finding truly special pieces. We welcome you to come and explore ARDESH Finds & Furnishings. With a constantly changing inventory of unique items, no two visits are ever the same!

OPEN MON-SAT 10-5, SUNDAY 11-4

Ardesh.com | 802-497-3342 | 3093 Shelburne Rd | Shelburne VT

Now offering interior design services.

VERMONT’S BEST MOVIE EXPERIENCE, 100% SOLAR POWERED!

The Essex Experience Drive in is now showing outdoor movies through September 26, 2020.

Sit in your car or on the grass. Enjoy food options from our restaurants including Black Flannel Brewery, Oriental Wok, Sukho Thai, Mad Taco, and Sweet Clover Market, or the Essex Cinemas Concession.

THE ESSEX CINEMAS IS NOW OPEN!

Please see our website for movie listings, new social distancing rules, and how to purchase tickets.

21 Essex Way, Essex, VT | 802.878.4200

| essexexperience.com | www.essexcinemas.com

fall features

36 VERMONT MOUNTAIN MODERN

Design style uniquely suited to the Green Mountain State.

78 A TALE OF TWO RIDES

Mountain biking at Cochran's.

BY MARK AIKEN

84 THE BIRTH OF VERMONT’S

HUT NETWORK

Go exploring then relax in comfort.

BY BART BEESON

Contents

Thinking about building a custom home? Our new model home in Underhill is open for tours.

This modern home features an open floor plan, wood wall accents, custom built-ins, breathtaking mountain views, and much more.

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Completely solar powered.

Schedule a tour and complimentary consulation with Tom today.

www.tommoorebuildervt.com | 802.899.2376 Custom Homes • Remodeling • Distinctive Cabinetry

BURLINGTON

35 SPECIAL SECTION 36 VOLANSKY STUDIO 42 FABULOUS FALL Decorate your home to welcome visitors.

66 30 42

44 TOM MOORE BUILDER

17 PUBLISHERS’ NOTE

48 CUSHMAN DESIGN GROUP

By Milford Cushman

18 ONLINE HUB

51 CLOSE TO HOME

20 CONTRIBUTORS

52 PEREGRINE DESIGN/BUILD

22 GATHERINGS

56 HICKOK AND BOARDMAN

By Sybil Keefe

Shelburne Orchards.

24 PETS & PEOPLE News, products, and furry facts.

26 ART SCENE Katharine Montstream’s journey.

BY PHYL NEWBECK

30 WHAT'S IN STORE Creating bliss at Radiance Medical Aesthetics & Wellness Spa.

BY MOLLY RITVO

24

90 HAPPENINGS

58 WESTON DESIGN 62 SLATE 66 TIMELESS DESIGNS

By Virginia Dean 70 VERMONT REAL ESTATE 72 INSPIRED CLOSETS 74 WINDOWS AND DOORS

BY BROWNELL 75 RED HOUSE BUILDING

A calendar of events.

94 ADVERTISERS INDEX 96 LAST GLANCE

Contents departments

ON THE COVER

CAMEL'S HUMP, WATERCOLOR PAINTING BY KATHARINE MONTSTREAM 14 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

the art of stone crafting

Coffee Table Publishing, LLC 32 Hermit Thrush Lane South Burlington, VT 05403 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

PUBLISHERS

Robin Gales John Gales CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Deb Thompson COPY EDITOR

Jennifer Goss Duby ART DIRECTION/DESIGN

Robbie Alterio ADVERTISING DESIGN

Robbycat Design WEB DESIGN

Locable ADVERTISING

Robin Gales (802) 299-9086 John Gales (802) 558-2719 coffeetablepublishing@comcast.net Keep us posted. Best of Burlington wants to hear from our readers. Correspondence may be addressed to Letters to the Editor, Best of Burlington, 32 Hermit Thrush Lane, South Burlington, VT 05403. Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing ctpublishing@comcast.net or coffeetablepublishing@comcast.net. Best of Burlington is published quarterly by Coffee Table Publishing, LLC, ©2020. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. Best of Burlington accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or photographs.

16 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

PUBLISHERS’ NOTE

Fall is Here!

L

ike everything else, it just doesn’t seem like a normal fall. And it’s not. But if you look at it in a positive light, it’s a great time to change things up and take a new look at everything.

That’s how we approached our fall issue. We start with a look at mountain biking at Cochran’s. What fun! It’s a great place for the entire family to spend a nice day outside.

Speaking of outside, take a look at our spotlight of the Vermont Huts Association. It’s a network of huts available in the Green Mountains. If you didn’t know about these treasures in the wild, you will thank us for enlightening you.

The fall issue brings the Burlington Home section. With all of us spending more time at home, many people are changing their spaces to better suit their needs, and we’ve included plenty of ideas for you. Who knew there was an actual style called Vermont Mountain Modern design?

Check it out beginning on page 36. We also showcase one of our favorite people, Candy Weston of Weston Design, and ask her a few questions when it comes to interiors. Slate is showcasing their new design services, and Timeless Designs out of Morrisville shares a farmhouse project.

We’ve got Close to Home, Red House, Peregrine, and so much more to look through, so take notes and plan your next project.

Did you like our cover? That’s from Katharine Montstream, who has been a staple in the local art world for a while. Every time we check back in with her, she has so much to share. Take a look at her work. Spectacular!

Finally, we wanted to acknowledge the loss of one of our clients, who was not only a client but also a true shining light in our community. Jessica Anne Pomerleau-Halnon, owner of Jess Boutique and Expressions on Church Street, passed away in August. As we did business with Jess over the years, we came to know her as being so much more than a businesswoman—a fine one at that, by the way. She was an advocate whose constant efforts to raise money and awareness for area nonprofits benefited many. As a mentor and role model, she was always ready to provide advice and support to other current and future businesswomen. And of course, she would light up when asked about a new dress or accessory. You will be missed, Jess. To honor her memory, donations can be made to dog rescue organizations, such as the Humane Society of Chittenden County (hsccvt.org) and Rescue Me Vermont (rescuemevt.com).

Happy fall, everyone! Enjoy and be present. Take a ride, buy some decorations for the house, and take it all in. It may not be a normal fall, but it’s always a beautiful fall in the Champlain Valley.

John and Robin Gales

Your Community-Owned Grocery Stores

Downtown 82 S. Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT Open 7am - 10pm every day

South End 207 Flynn Ave, Burlington, VT Open 7am - 9pm every day

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ONLINE HUB

FALL 20

20

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ONLINE EXCLUSIVES

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NO 4

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IN INEAT PATR M AIR ONTS INE M PLEIN THAR

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ORK ETWFO M RT HUT N X IN CO ONT’S RELA M EN R TH E V PLORING G GO EX BIKIN NTAIN N’S MOUO CHRA S AT C F TWO RIDE A TALE SP EC

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HOME UPGRADES THAT REALLY WORK Find tips to create more functional spaces at www.bestofburlingtonvt.com.

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THERE’S AN APPLE FOR THAT

Apple varieties can differ greatly when it comes to taste, texture, and cooking.

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OCTOB

CLICK ON our online calendar to see local events happening in our community, and you can add your own event free!

a curated style

creating your vision and comfort at home

w

weston DESIGN

VERMONT

•

{ 802 } 793.2953

HILTON HEAD westondesignvt.com

contributors BART BEESON is a freelance writer and photographer based in Burlington, Vermont. He is a regular contributor to Travel Weekly and Everett Potter’s Travel Report, and has been published in The Washington Post, USA Today, Foreign Policy, and other media outlets. When he’s not traveling, Bart can be found hiking with his dog Kesey or spending time with his family in central New Hampshire.

MARK AIKEN is a freelance writer and professional ski instructor at Stowe.

He lives in Richmond with his endurance runner wife. Together, they participate in the ultimate adventure sport—parenting.

PHYL NEWBECK is a former flatlander from New York City. She lives in Jericho, where she has learned to stack a mean pile of firewood. When not skiing, skating, bicycling, swimming, or kayaking, she writes for several local publications.

Phyl is the author of Virginia Hasn’t Always Been for Lovers: Interracial Marriage Bans and the Case of Richard and Mildred Loving.

20 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

MOLLY RITVO is a freelance writer who lives in Burlington, Vermont, with her husband and daughter. She holds a BA from Tufts University and an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College. Molly is writing a novel as well as a collection of essays on motherhood. Learn more about Molly at mollyritvo.com.

For those ready for what’s next Only

SOUTH HERO, VT | MLS# 4805750

THE FRESH AIR OF VERMONT

Spruce Peak, ski-in/ski-out, VT Alpine-Craftsman, 5,950 square foot, five-bedroom, six-bath home. Make this your best getaway home.

STOWE, VT | $5,250,000 | MLS# 4817612 KATHY O’BRIEN | C: (802) 343-9433 JANA GRANZELLA | C: (802) 238-4712

FANTASTIC SUNSETS AND ADIRONDACK VIEWS

Nestled in Sawyer’s Bay, this 2600 square foot waterfront home with 125 feet of direct west facing lake frontage, is what you’re looking for.

SOUTH HERO, VT | $975,000 | MLS# 4825335 NANCY WARREN FARLEY | C: (802) 734-5024 JAY STRAUSSER | C: (802) 578-2094

VIEWS OF THE ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS

YOUR RETREAT & WILDLIFE SANCTUARY Custom Contemporary sited atop 35 private acres of rolling pasture, ponds, forest and far-off mountains offers tranquility and Nature’s beauty.

HINESBURG, VT | $1,150,000 | MLS# 4805991 EILEEN WARNER | C: (802) 233-3385

LAKE AND MOUNTAIN VIEWS

Burlington lakefront property. Enjoy sunny days on one of the best sandy beaches in Burlington. 100 feet of lake shore along Lake Champlain with panoramic views of the Adirondack Mountains.

BURLINGTON, VT | $1,595,000 | MLS# 4809611 MARY PAT PALMER | C: (802) 238-3325

TOUCHED BY CLASSIC ELEGANCE

WELCOME TO WILDWIND

Nestled among the beautiful Green Mountains sits this stunning property on 130 acres surrounded by panoramic views and vistas. Now is the time to find your Vermont retreat.

LINCOLN, VT | $3,495,900 | MLS# 4813882 MARY PAT PALMER | C: (802) 238-3325

STUNNING VIEWS OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN

Whether it’s taking in the sail boat races from your deck, soaking in the hot tub or sailing on the lake yourself, this property is your primary residence and vacation home all rolled into one.

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT | $875,000 | MLS# 4821106 KAREN BRESNAHAN | C: (802) 310-0447

A PRIVATE AND SERENE SETTING

A Bonus .60 acres lakeshore parcel to accompany a private 20.1 acre parcel to be used as a single building site, a family compound or a further sub-division with 2 or 3 additional house sites.

CHARLOTTE, VT | $1,000,000 | MLS# 4786083 NANCY RYAN | C: (802) 777-7310

Breathtaking views combined with the soothing tranquility of Lake Champlain, this beachfront property offers unmatched relaxation for the mind, body and soul.

BURLINGTON, VT | $1,250,000 | MLS# 4823145 KAREN BRESNAHAN | C: (802) 310-0447

Rare opportunity to own one of the most spectacular beach front properties along Lake Champlain. With 558 Feet of sandy beach, 18.5 acres and captivating views of the Adirondack Mountains.

COLCHESTER, VT | $4,450,000 | MLS# 4774333 MARY PAT PALMER | C: (802) 238-3325

UNDER CONTRACT! FEEL THE TRANQUILITY

UNDER CONTRACT! CONVENIENTLY LOCATED

CEDAR SPRING FARM ON 114 ACRES

Stunning home sited in a serene setting with generous backyard, koi fish pond, waterfall, treehouse and exceptional perennial gardens.

SHELBURNE, VT | $619,000 | MLS# 4824188 KAREN BRESNAHAN | C: (802) 310-0447

Tastefully designed, this wonderful two bedroom, one bath, one level unit boasts a modern open floor plan with lots of warmth and appeal.

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT | $187,500 | MLS# 4819969 KAREN BRESNAHAN | C: (802) 310-0447

State-of-the-art training, rehab, breeding barn, 26 stalls with indoor Kentucky style riding arena, plus a beautiful custom Timberframe home.

CHARLOTTE, VT | $2,425,000 DOTTIE WALLER | C: (802) 343-4370

BURLINGTON/SOUTH BURLINGTON O: (802) 864-0541 | FOURSEASONSSIR.COM 15 Offices throughout New Hampshire and Vermont

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Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

GATHERINGS

SHELBURNE ORCHARDS

U-PICK ACROSS VERMONT Vermont is blessed with many pick-yourown apple orchards. For a fuller list, visit vermontapples.org/vermont-orchard-listing.

Burtt’s Apple Orchard 283 Cabot Plains Road Cabot, VT (802) 917-2614 burttsappleorchard.com

Champlain Orchards 3597 VT Route 74 W Shoreham, VT (802) 897-2777 champlainorchards.com

Cortland Hill Orchard 72 Miller Road Brattleboro, VT (802) 254-9779 www.facebook.com/Cortland-HillOrchard-1715196975454457

Green Mountain Orchards 130 W Hill Road Putney, VT (802) 387-5851 greenmtorchards.com

Woodman Hill Orchard

Open for business

F

rom blush pink buds to white-petaled blooms, through petal fall and fruit set, Vermont apples grow according to laws laid down by nature and aided by hardworking fruit farmers. What reassurance there is in knowing that some things continue as they should, even in these grievous times. As their website enthusiastically states, Yes! Shelburne Orchards is open for the 2020 apple picking season.

The 60-acre orchard has been owned and operated by the Cowles family for more than 50 years, and current owner Nick has grown the orchard from 2,000 trees when he took over from his father William to over 6,000 trees now.

And 90 percent of those delicious, beautiful apples are sold right off the farm.

September and October, those crisp, foliage22 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

crowned months we wait all year for, are when the picking magic happens. Shelburne Farms is open for picking seven days a week, from 9am to 5pm. To keep employees, guest pickers, and the community safe, they have instituted some changes which may evolve throughout the season as necessary.

Signage will direct flow of traffic around the property, and there will be capacity limits.

Everyone is asked to wear a mask and observe physical distancing guidelines. Of course, anyone experiencing COVID-19 related symptoms should choose to visit another time. At the start of their visit, pickers will purchase pre-paid containers and won’t need to weigh out upon departure. Transactions will be limited to credit card and check.

175 Plank Road Vergennes, VT (802) 877-6686 www.facebook.com/woodmanhillorchard

Some fun traditions will have to be put aside this year, which makes the Shelburne Farms team just as sad as the rest of us. There will be no Pie Fest, no pie by the slice or cups of cider, and no picnic area. The Kids Area will not be available and dogs will not be allowed on premises. But there will be apples galore, so gather your friends and family and pick a day to pick some apples!

For complete and up-to-date information, visit their website to plan your visit.

Shelburne Orchards 216 Orchard Road Shelburne, VT (802) 985-2753 www.shelburneorchards.com /u-pick/covid-19

timeless designs, llc designs that last for generations

W W W. T I M E L E S S D E S I G N S - A R C H I T E C T U R E . C O M | 8 0 2 - 7 9 3 - 8 0 6 1 W W W. I N S T A G R A M . C O M / T I M E L E S S _ D E S I G N S _ A R C H I T E C T U R E

PETS AND PEOPLE SPONSORED BY BEVS

Fun Fall Activities Consider these eight ways to get out and about

Now that autumn’s cooler temperatures are here, plan some outings with your best furry friend. Getting out will provide both of you with a change of scenery and some fresh air while enjoying new adventures. Before you go, check to make sure the place you’re visiting is dog friendly, and bring along plenty of water and a few treats for Scruffy. It’s time to head out!

Here are some of our favorite ideas: 1. PUMPKIN & APPLE PICKING Your canine pal would be happy to explore a pumpkin patch or an apple orchard with you or help you find your way out of the corn maze.

2. TRICK-OR-TREATING If you have a friendly pup, bring him along for a walk while the kids go trick-or-treating. It’s a fun way to show off a costume of his own or to include him in a humorous group costume with your family. If you’re staying home, consider setting up a gate so he doesn’t run to greet the trick-or-treaters or worse—bolt out the door.

3. HALLOWEEN PARADE Many towns have annual Halloween parades that children, dogs, and adults can march in. This is the perfect opportunity for your dog to socialize and show off his cute costume. If your town is planning to have a parade this year, be sure to practice social distancing.

4. IT’S TIME FOR THE PFL In case you didn’t know, PFL stands for Pooch Football League. Invite a few friendly neighborhood pups, bring out the pigskin or Nerf football, and practice some passing and punting while the dogs give chase. It’s a great way for all of you to get some exercise in your own backyard.

5. FALL FOLIAGE HIKE Everyone knows Vermont is famous for its autumn beauty, so head out and take in the gorgeous fall colors, earthy smells, and crisp air. Your canine pal will appreciate getting out and roaming through the woods too. Just make sure he’s protected from fleas and ticks before you venture out and check him over when you get home.

6. BACKYARD FUN Don’t think of raking leaves as a chore. Make it a time for fun and let your pup romp in the leaves with you. Hide balls or other toys in the pile of leaves and encourage your dog to find them. (Just be careful to make sure only leaves make it into the pile. Sharp sticks may lead to some painful pokes.) This activity also allows for some great photo and video opportunities.

24 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

Siamese, Please The Siamese remains one of the most popular cat breeds in the US. This blue-eyed beauty is known for its vivacious personality. Siamese are talkative and curious, and generally good with kids and other pets, but they can be demanding and leery of strangers. It’s been said that they will greet strangers at the door and check them out before they are allowed to enter!

These athletic, active felines need stimulation and lots of toys to keep them occupied. People-oriented, they don’t like being left alone for extended periods. If you work long hours, consider getting two; they’ll entertain each other while you’re gone.

7. SHOP AT FALL FARMERS MARKETS An outdoor dog-friendly farmers market is a fun way to purchase local fruits and vegetables that are in season, and you may also meet some interesting new friends—both human and canine.

8. PICNIC AT THE PARK This is the perfect time of year to pack some lunch and have a picnic with your pets. Pack a cooler with sandwiches and drinks for the humans and snacks and water for four-footed friends. Some foods you can share with Rover are hard-boiled eggs, cooked turkey or chicken, and raw, cut-up vegetables such as carrots, celery, green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Keep your pet on a leash so he doesn’t disturb others who are enjoying their outing and obey park rules. Bring along a blanket or a beach towel for your pet to lie on, away from ticks, biting ants, and other pests.

Enjoy a long walk with your dog before settling down to eat. Your dog will be better behaved and you’ll both be ready for a delicious lunch. Be sure to keep the surroundings clean and sanitary by picking up after your dog.

— Sources: barkpost.com, dogtime.com, www.hillspet.com.

Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 25

ART SCENE

BY PHYL NEWBECK

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

Katharine Montstream’s Journey From 10-cent cards to commissioned paintings

F

or Katharine Montstream, the decision to try to make a living from her artwork was an easy one. “It was never scary,” she says. “I was selling real estate and waitressing and I started making little cards, and they were selling really well.”

The cards cost ten cents each and Katharine was selling them for $1.50. In two years she made 15,000 handmade cards. “That worked 26 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

great,” she says, “but at some point, I kind of burned out. You can’t grow a business if you’re doing it all by hand, so we took a leap of faith to print the cards in 1991.” Mass production required Katharine to visit stationery stores and find representatives who were willing to sell the cards across the country. That year, she also made the decision to open Monstream Studio in a $100 a month space at Main Street

Landing. “Even 30 years ago I could afford that,” she says. Soon, adjoining spaces became vacant and Katharine was able to expand. “We just kept paying month to month and it just kept growing.”

Another transition was Katharine’s move from greeting cards to larger paintings.

“Someone asked me to make one of my images bigger,” she remembers. “I thought I’d try it

Clockwise from opposite: Katharine in her studio at the Soda Plant. Photo by Brian MacDonald. Poppies in the Rain, watercolor, 18” x 24”. Katharine demonstrates oil painting in front of her gallery. Models wear Katharine’s canvases for a fashion show during ART HOP in 2019. Models included her daughter, nephew, friends, and 85-year-old mother. Photo by Luke Awtry.

and then figure out what to do about pricing.”

The larger paintings led to her first show at the Daily Planet with multiple 30x40-inch watercolors of gardens and cityscapes. “People responded to my work,” she says. “I didn’t try to analyze it, but it happened. Thirty years later, here we are.”

CREATIVITY ON COMMISSION A lot of Katharine’s sales are via commission.

People come to her with an idea for a painting, and she decides if it’s something she can do.

She gave the example of someone who wanted her to paint Little Fenway Park in Jericho. “I knew I probably couldn’t do it justice,” she says “but I went there and saw the pastoral view looking away from the ballfield with barns and layers of mountains and offered to paint that instead. I guide people into letting me do what I do best and if they aren’t happy Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 27

with that, I can give them suggestions for other artists.” Katharine gets requests from people who want her to add a dog or a flag to a landscape but she has resisted. “I’m good at steering people to get the best work for their money,” she says. “If they are willing to commission me for a painting, they’ll listen to my suggestions.”

Other patrons visit Montstream Studio in search of existing artwork. “Usually they have a room in mind or a special event,” Katharine says. “A daughter might be getting married or the family might have built a second home and wants something to hang over the fireplace.” Recently, she has been receiving requests from people who want to replace a work they lost during a divorce. Katharine is also often asked for pieces to hang in doctors’ or lawyers’ offices. “People want something local and they know we are community-minded,” she says.

“We’re public about giving support to organizations like Feeding Chittenden and Black Lives Matter.”

FINDING BEAUTY Katharine enjoys a wide variety of landscape painting, but she does have some favorite locations.

“There are certain iconic images I never get sick of,” she says. “Camel’s Hump is one because of the beautiful lines. It has this sensual profile that is just gorgeous. When my daughter was young, she used to say it was like the top of a heart.” Although she gravitates toward beauty, Katharine also enjoys painting things that aren’t inherently beautiful like the Burlington train yard and the Moran Plant.

“When I find something super gritty that people can respond to, that’s enormously satisfying,” she says. “I didn’t think the Moran Plant paintings would sell, so it was amazing to see that happen. My good patrons liked them, but so did my newer clients.”

Roughly half of Katharine’s work is plein air— painted outdoors. She also uses photographs of her subject matter, not to make her work realistic but to remind her of what she liked about the vista. “The photo is a great reference for me,” she says. “It’s not for me to get bogged down in the details but to remember where the lines are.”

MAKING THE BEST OF DIFFICULT TIMES 2020 has been a difficult year for Katharine in terms of keeping her gallery open but she is pleased to be able to retreat to her studio on Pine Street in the old Recycle North building. “It’s contact-less and I can ride my bike there,” she says.

28 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

Opposite, from top: Camel's Hump in Gray, watercolor, 5” x 7”. Snowy Barn, watercolor, 5” x 7”.

Sunset in Orange, oil on canvas, 24” x 30”.

Below: Sail at Dusk, oil on canvas, 30" x 40”.

Jamie Two-CoatS’ ToY ShoP 54 Falls Road Shelburne, VT

In the

l of Shelburne

HOURS: 10AM–5PM MON-SAT, 11AM–4PM SUN | 802-985-3221

Thanks to the pandemic, Katharine is doing more commission work than usual but with a twist. In the past, she would visit the places she is commissioned to paint, but that hasn’t been possible.

“I’ve been asking people to send me landscape photos which I’ll paint for $150,” she says. “A lot of times it’s challenging because the subject matter might not be what I would usually paint, but people allow me to do my own version of their photos. I give them my best work of their vision.”

Montstream Studio 129 St. Paul Street Burlington, VT (802) 862-8752 www.kmmstudio.com

ONLINE EXTRA Find information about Katharine's exhibit with her daughter at www.bestofburlingtonvt.com.

Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 29

WHAT'S IN STORE

BY MOLLY RITVO

PHOTOS BY CHRISTINA BERNALES

Creating Bliss at Radiance Medical Aesthetics & Wellness Spa

While I love the challenge of anesthesia in the operating room, I missed the continuity of care in the clinical setting.

Providing care and helping patients feel their best about themselves is fulfilling.

—Dr. Colleen Parker

DR. COLLEEN PARKER AND HER TEAM ARE CHANGING THE FACE OF THE MEDICAL SPA INDUSTRY

A

s lockdowns and quarantines have ended, many Vermonters are eager to give some much-needed attention to their skin and bodies. Local clients of Radiance Medical Aesthetics & Wellness Spa in Willison have been clamoring to return to their loved spa.

“We closed down earlier than the mandated ordered lockdown because with so little known at that time, I could not justify

30 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

being open for elective procedures,” says Dr. Colleen Parker, the owner at Radiance.

“During the closure, we were able to critically think about how to offer services as safely as possible and keep patients and staff safe.”

When she felt it was safe to reopen, Dr. Parker asked her scheduling team to space out appointments, and patients are asked to wait in their cars until they are called to minimize traffic in the clinic. She also

implemented telehealth appointments and plans to continue offering those.

MEDICAL AESTHETICS Dr. Parker, a practicing anesthesiologist, opened Radiance on August 30, 2017. Prior to opening Radiance, she worked as the medical director and sole provider at another medical spa in the area for six years. “I decided to open my own medical aesthetics center because

Above: Dr. Parker, owner and medical provider, performs cheek filler on a patient to add lift and definition to the face.

Left: Microblading is a semipermanent tattooing technique that gives clients their desired eyebrow shape and color.

it was important to me that I could provide the best possible experience for my patients from the first call or the moment they walk in the front door to the completion of their treatment and hopefully years of continued care,” she explains. Dr. Parker and her staff of seven currently serve about 1,300 patients and are committed to providing cutting-edge and modern medical spa services such as Botox,

fillers, microblading, and acne and laser hair removal among other treatments including ones that sculpt and contour the body, treatment of spider and varicose veins, and permanent treatments of under-chin fat.

Medical spas require a physician to oversee and perform all medical-grade procedures.

“A nonmedical spa typically offers massages, facials, and relaxation treatments while a

medical spa focuses on specific beauty goals and corrective aesthetic procedures. A medical spa has the ability to treat deeper skin and health concerns by licensed staff and medical professionals,” explains Kendall Beiswanger, marketing and business manager at Radiance.

“At a regular spa, a client can get a hydrating facial, but at a medical spa, she can have a laser or microneedling procedure that goes deeper into the dermis to stimulate collagen production to help with fine lines or to get rid of deeper age-related pigmentation.”

Because Dr. Parker is an anesthesiologist, she is uniquely suited to provide safe and effective corrective treatments. “There is always something new in the aesthetics world,” Dr. Parker says enthusiastically. “Being an anesthesiologist is actually a perfect transition to aesthetic medicine. For aesthetic medicine, I use needles to place medicine and implantable products into very specific areas of the face.

Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 31

Above: Autumn, a licensed medical aesthetician and electrologist, provides a relaxing chemical peel and facial, which are customized to each client.

Below: Kendall and Jerica collaborate and plan Radiance's upcoming marketing strategies, events, and new services.

Understanding the anatomy combined with an aesthetic sense enables me to get the results I do with the utmost safety.”

ENHANCING LIVES AND DEBUNKING MYTHS According to Kendall, Botox is one of the most popular treatments at Radiance. “I think it is a misunderstood treatment due to the media’s misconceptions or people being afraid of looking ‘frozen,’ but Botox is actually one of the best treatments to prevent and correct lines and wrinkles,” she says with a smile. “It is always the first treatment I recommend to all of my family and friends!”

Dr. Parker says that there isn’t a typical client at Radiance and that she is thrilled to treat a variety of clientele. “We have a fantastic range of both women and men of all ages coming in for a variety of reasons,” she says. “Some want help with wrinkles, marionette lines (sad mouth), pigmentation issues, permanent makeup needs, varicose veins, acne, and more. It is one of the great things about what we do: the same issues affect everyone.”

32 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

Despite having a loyal following and a robust customer base, Dr. Parker acknowledges that there are a lot of “misconceptions” about what she offers. “I tell my patients that I am not in the beauty business. I am in the confidence business,” she says proudly. “I am honored to be able to safely perform a procedure that gives someone the confidence they need during a job interview or to help someone feel their best to enter the dating scene after a divorce or to help someone celebrate a milestone birthday. It is incredibly rewarding.” Dr. Parker frequently hears from her patients that their lives have dramatically improved. “Neuromodulators (Botox) got rid of angry lines on a patients’ face between his eyes and he became more approachable at work,” she says. “For someone else, it was the difference in their acne after a treatment that was life changing.”

Dr. Parker recalls a client who was struggling to re-enter the workforce because she felt she was too old to apply for a job. “After my care, she felt more confident and that the woman who looked back at her in the mirror reflected the person she was on the inside,” she says, adding that the client recently accepted a terrific new position.

LOOKING AHEAD As Dr. Parker and her staff prepare for a busy fall, they are continually looking to add additional treatments to their service menu.

“We have a few exciting procedures coming out like PRP (platelet-rich plasma), which uses a patient’s own platelets from their blood that can be used as filler or along with microneedling treatments,” explains Kendall, adding that Radiance will also be offering new procedures for sexual health for both men and women. Dr. Parker (a busy mom who has a combined family of six children) is eager to welcome readers of Best of Burlington to her practice: “People in Vermont are very intelligent with whom they entrust their medical treatments and we are very grateful and respectful of that,” she says.

“We pride ourselves on providing incredible service using the best technology and technique combined with individualized care.” z

HO ME Made for a life well lived

Windows and doors inspired by how you live.

Explore the possibilities at Windows & Doors By Brownell Locally owned and operated | (800) 773-4803 | wdbrownell.com Proudly supporting Vermont, the Upper Valley of New Hampshire and the Adirondacks of New York

Radiance Medical Aesthetics & Wellness Spa 5399 Williston Rd, Suite #101 Williston, VT (802) 777-7300 www.radiancevt.com Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 33

BURLINGTON

VOLANSKY Architecture & Planning STUDIO 36 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

PHOTO BY LINDSAY RAYMONDJACK PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY VOLANSKY STUDIO ARCHITECTURE + PLANNING

Design Style Uniquely Suited to the Green Mountain State

Vermont Mountain Modern E very region has a design ethos that is born of its geography, climate, and the temperament of its people. Vermont Mountain Modern is a term Volansky Studio

Volansky Studio Architecture + Planning 1815 Mountain Road Stowe, VT (802) 793-4999 volanskystudio.com

uses to describe its emerging design style that is uniquely suited to Vermont.

The Vermont Mountain Modern designs of Volansky Studio, in business in Stowe since 2015, are contemporary, clean, crisp, fresh, and simple. Plans are site-specific and responsive to the environment.

EVERY PROJECT IS UNIQUE Volansky Studio is committed to welcoming input from all team members on design projects, and the growing firm has had the opportunity to work with many bright lights in construction throughout northern New England.

Part of that commitment is recognizing that every project is unique. One of the core beliefs at Volansky Studio is the importance of actively listening to the desires of clients and transforming those desires into physical form. When the project is finished, clients recognize their ideas, personality, and desires within the design.

At the start of a new construction project, Volansky Studio spends time exploring the project site both with clients and on their own by visiting the property at different times of the day and during different months to better understand how views, natural light, breezes, Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 37

PHOTOS THIS PAGE BY LINDSAY RAYMONDJACK PHOTOGRAPHY

and foliage change over time. They begin placing rooms on the site based on client goals in the context of how the site enhances those spaces as a way to inform the project design. “It often takes a few site visits to balance the multitude of project parameters,” says Andrew Volansky, principal architect and founder. “I start by doing on-site sketching or conceptualizing, then I develop those concepts back in the studio. I’ll return to the site to study how the building fits. It is all part of the schematic design process when doing client- and site-specific design. This backand-forth process of trial and vetting is very important.”

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overload?

CONNECTING THE INDOORS TO THE OUTDOORS “Many of our clients are either living here or are coming here from someplace else because of the incredible beauty of Vermont and the lifestyle afforded by the Green Mountains,” says Andrew. “Our designs are informed by the way the buildings are used and the activities that they support, whether it is to ski or ride, trail run, canoe, or mountain bike.” Connecting the indoors to the outdoors is important to those who choose to have a home in Vermont.

Vermont Mountain Modern is a design style that blurs the lines between inside and outside.

Mudrooms, screened porches, and outdoor patios with firepits are all examples of design elements that create that connection between a home’s interior and its exterior. The use of natural materials like stone, wood, and metal in their raw forms lend to that ethos by simply being what they are. Strategic and proportional blending of these elemental materials creates a beauty in the architecture with no need for ornamentation.

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“A significant portion of our projects include multigenerational planning,” says Andrew. “Our clients want their homes to be welcoming and to encourage their families to visit.” This means that homes need to function as well with two occupants as they do with a dozen or more.

“Looking for thoughtful ways to create efficient spaces with flexibility and scalability in the dining room, living room, and kitchen, as well as looking for overflow spaces that can accommodate additional guests but be useful during quieter times are key to our design work.”

FINDING POSSIBILITIES IN RENOVATION With current building trends leaning towards renovations due to limited land availability, Volansky Studio thoroughly explores any project’s true potential for renovation.

“Although it can be challenging at the onset to overcome existing conditions, these projects are also incredibly rewarding,” notes Andrew.

“When starting to design renovations, we often have to embrace the ‘attitude’ of the home. A 1950s ski home in the shadows of a ski resort has a certain style that needs to be embraced. From there we find opportunities Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 39

40 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

to make these homes fresh, new, and current with today’s style and our Vermont Mountain Modern designs.”

COMMUNICATION IS KEY “Helping clients understand the process is an important part of our responsibility,” says Andrew. “Throughout the design process, there are highs and lows of energy that resemble those of music.” Some clients find the volume of decisions required by a building project to be daunting. Volansky Studio takes leadership on guiding clients through the process from beginning to end to maintain the alignment of design intent, scope of work, and budget.

“It’s important to follow the project all the way through construction to assure proper interpretation of the construction drawings into built form,” says Andrew. “From the first day that we welcome them into the studio to the day the contractor hands the keys over, we are there to represent our client’s best interests.”

IN TUNE WITH THE VERMONT CLIMATE Winters are cold and summer months can be hot in Vermont. Passive solar design, where a building’s design takes climate, location, and materials into account in order to minimize energy use, results in a high-quality, energyefficient building envelope that both retains heat in the winter and protects the interior environment from the heat of the summer sun.

Design of fenestration and roof overhangs play an integral part in creating a comfortable home. “We design our homes to have shading in the summer, cross ventilation for cooling and fresh air, and landscaping that shades the south and west,” explains Andrew.

Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 41

B U R L I N GTO N

Fabulous

FALL!

Decorate your home to welcome visitors

C

ooler fall weather has arrived, and area farms and markets are brimming with the season’s colorful mums, bright pumpkins and gourds, and hay bales and cornstalks. These iconic items combine to create a mood and set a scene, so increase the curb appeal of your home while welcoming friends, family, and trick-or-treaters. If you usually settle for placing a jack-o’-lantern on your front porch, expand your horizons and line the front walk with pumpkins, mums, and stalks of corn. Arrange and rearrange your items until you have your perfect fall outdoor décor! Have fun!

42 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

beautiful displayed with mums and pumpkins. Try combining these eye-catching plants with other flowers such as sweet alyssum, viola, nemesia, and pansies. Best of all, flowering cabbage and kale stand up to temps as low as 5°F and light snows.

BUILD UP WITH HAY BALES Hay bales are an easy way to stagger the height of your display. When winter comes along, throw the hay (and pumpkins) on your compost pile.

ADD CORNSTALKS FOR HEIGHT Simply take about 15 to 20 dried cornstalks and bunch them together with twine to secure. Leave the twine bare or add a ribbon in any fall color. Place a couple of stacks of hay, mums, and pumpkins in front of the cornstalks and you’ve created a beautiful display.

FEED THE BIRDS WHILE YOU’RE AT IT

GOURDS ARE GREAT Line your stoop or walkway with an assortment of pumpkins and gourds in a variety of sizes. Try layering and interlacing them with ivy and other greens to get a natural pumpkin-patch look.

DISPLAY COLORFUL MUMS Mums come in a variety of colors and sizes. Choose one or two colors for a uniform look or go wild and get as many colors as you can find. Display your mums in different ways like in a wagon, bushel basket, wheelbarrow, or an old caldron.

ADD CABBAGE OR KALE Ornamental cabbage and kale will bring green, off white, and even purple hues to your autumn landscape. Cabbages’ leafy round shapes add interest and look

Birds will start to look for reliable sources of food when the weather cools down. Make a feeder by hollowing out a gourd, hanging it with twine, and filling it with birdseed. Or use pinecones. Simply tie a string to the top of the pinecone and cover it with peanut butter and bird seed. Put it in the freezer to harden before you put it outside.

HANG A WREATH A floral display in rich autumn colors will make your front door entry warm and welcoming.

–Sources: www.diynetwork.com, wwwhousebeautiful.com.

ONLINE EXTRA Find instructions for making a fall wreath at www.bestofburlingtonvt.com.

Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 43

B U R L I N GTO N

All in the Family Tom Moore Builder constructs energy-efficient dream homes

T

om Moore Builder is a third generation building and remodeling company based in Underhill. While you may not have heard of them, you have likely admired their work. Tom and his team are responsible for the beautiful wood interiors of the Hotel Vermont and Windjammer Restaurant, as well as the jewelry cases at Von Bargen’s. Additionally, they have been building beautiful custom homes from Waitsfield to the

Tom Moore Builder 116 Stevensville Road Underhill, VT (802) 899-2376 www.tommoorebuildervt.com

44 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

Clockwise from opposite, top: The kitchen features modern gray cabinets, black granite counters, a geometric tile backsplash, and a white oak accent wall. The open concept living area was designed for entertaining and features a custom white oak dining table that seats 10. To keep a consistent feel, gray cabinets were used throughout the home, including the master bathroom and laundry room where they are paired with quartz counters. Wood accent walls appear throughout the home, including this red birch wall in the master suite.

Champlain Islands for nearly 60 years. This summer, the company completed construction of one of their most unique homes yet, a 2,500 square-foot high-performance modern mountain retreat in Underhill.

Tom’s son Justin, vice president of the company, and his wife Karly were looking to build their forever home after living in another Tom Moore Builder home in Jericho for the last seven years. A piece of land became available off picturesque Pleasant Valley Road in Underhill, and the couple jumped at the opportunity. The design process took some time and went through several iterations before it was finalized. Justin and Karly wanted to ensure that they were building something that would work for their growing family and for many years into the future.

This home has a more modern feel than many of Tom Moore Builder’s other homes and shows the range of their work. The exterior of the house features a mix of textures, utilizing both red cedar and dark bronze metal siding. The interior has a modern minimalist feel, with bright white walls, black windows, and wood accent walls throughout.

INTERIOR FEATURES The main level features an open concept kitchen, living and dining area, large master suite with a custom tile shower and quartz counters, laundry room, office/guest room, and half bath. The sloped ceilings reach 13 feet on the south side of the house, and the seven-foottall windows help bring the outdoors in.

The home, as with many of Tom’s builds, embodies the “not so big house” concept, coined by architect Sarah Susanka. This philosophy emphasizes building the nicest, most thoughtfully designed home rather than the biggest for the budget. The layout of this home was designed for maximum functionality and to take advantage of the sweeping Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 45

mountain views. “While many homes may have an extra 1,000 square feet of unfinished space in the basement, we decided on a design that would allow for full height windows to bring in ample natural light and allow us to utilize nearly all of the space available,� says Justin.

The lower level includes a TV room for the kids, two bedrooms, a full bath, a rec room, and plenty of storage.

Instead of including a fourth bedroom for guests that would only be used occasionally, the couple decided on the inclusion of an office that could double as guest room. This room, with a custom nine-and-a-half-foot, two-person red birch desk, has become invaluable as the couple has transitioned to working from home full-time due to the pandemic. Tom Moore Builder built-ins and several custom furniture pieces can also be found throughout the house.

SMART AND ENERGY EFFICIENT This house is not only modern in design, it is also ahead of the curve from a sustainability and technology standpoint. A 14.7kW groundmounted solar array produces all the energy this house needs, meaning zero energy bills.

Other green features you can find around the home include an insulated concrete foundation, superinsulation and meticulous air sealing, air recovery system, triple-pane European style tiltturn windows, LED lighting, and water saving plumbing fixtures. The home also features an advanced security system and many home automation features.

Interested in building or remodeling with Tom Moore Builder? Tours of this model home and a consultation with Tom are available by appointment.

46 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

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B U R L I N GTO N

48 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

48

BEST OF CENTRAL VERMONT | SPRING 2020

Emodiam quo dolutet et voluptate invel modipient vent alia que non nimodis audiciatque consequam volore nobis rest excepedi quundebit ipitati cullaboriore dolorio rerio. Ique nos

BY MILFORD CUSHMAN PHOTOS BY LINDSAY SELIN

cushmaN DEsign gRoup California design in the heart of Vermont CUSHMAN DESIGN GROUP 100 Mountain Road PO Box 655 Stowe, VT (802) 253-2169 inquiry@cushmandesign.com www.cushmandesign.com

W

hen trendy and designsavvy California clients of Cushman Design Group (CDG) asked for a clean, bright, and spacious full-time home here in the mountains of northern Vermont, they set to work on a collaboration with general contractor Gristmill Builders.

As the project manager overseeing the design of this new home, CDG's Kelley

Osgood coordinated the creation of all the important features of the build, resulting in this beautiful, energy-efficient, two-level home. Situated on the edge of a steep wooded hillside, the home offers panoramic views of the Worcester Range to the north and a broad horizontal spread of the Green Mountains to the west.

Significant considerations that Kelley integrated into the final design concept Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 49

Kelley Osgood produced this exterior rendering to clearly illustrate the color and textural palette of the materials proposed for the client’s new home in northern Vermont. These colors were selected to help the building to be visually quiet and nonreflective in accordance with local viewshed protection bylaws.

were the client’s budget and their deep appreciation of a home that is “just big enough.” Typical of the work of Cushman Design Group, the generous use of stone and wood with accents of copper and stainless steel for both exterior and

50 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

interior finishes helps the owners feel connected to the natural beauty of Vermont. Their contemporary home here in the mountains is a peaceful and nurturing sanctuary, ready for their return from traveling the world.

B U R L I N GTO N

Decorative Plumbing and Hardware at

closE

To homE MADE IN THE USA: A TREND THAT LASTS Trends come and go.

Some come back. Some never should have been. But Made in the USA is a trend that has stood the test of time.

T

he interest in fixtures made here in the USA isn’t new. Even before the recent global trade disputes, discerning homeowners, architects, designers, and contractors in Vermont were requesting American-made products for their kitchen and bath remodels and new builds.

MADE IN THE USA MEANS QUALITY And while it’s no secret the label “American Made” often means a higher price point than say, “Made in China,” it typically comes with other benefits that directly affect the consumer, including better warranties (often lifetime), easier access to customer support, and more efficient technical assistance.

SHOPPERS PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR VALUES ARE Consumer awareness today is also more in tune with issues beyond appearance, functionality, personal convenience, and cost. Factors that

take certain values into account have become an important consideration. Safe and fair conditions for workers, the environmental impacts of manufacturing, and effects on the American economy all play into a customer’s decision-making process.

Manufacturers like Watermark Designs of Brooklyn, New York; Rocky Mountain Hardware of Hailey, Idaho; and Waterstone Faucets out of Murrieta, California; have always been widely respected. With their

craftsmanship, attention to detail, and commitment to the environment as well as their employees, companies like these are a trend that is here to stay.

CLOSE TO HOME 257 Pine Street Burlington, VT (802) 861-3200 closetohomevt.com

Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 51

B U R L I N GTO N

BY RACHEL CLOUTIER

Peregrine Design/ Build clients have a desire to share the story of what makes their home and family unique. Using natural elements in the home is a great way to express these sentiments.

These examples demonstrate five ways to incorporate natural elements into your space.

PHOTOS THIS PAGE BY SUSAN TEARE

PeregrinE deSign/ builD Elements of Design DAYLIGHT Opening your space with wellproportioned and properly functioning windows is one of the first things Peregrine Design/Build will suggest to bring the outdoors in. New energyefficient windows add value to your home, expand the spatial quality of a room, and improve your daily outlook—literally.

52 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

PHOTO BY RYAN BENT

STONE As an accent element, stone makes a powerful statement PHOTOS LEFT AND RIGHT BY SUSAN TEARE

when incorporated into your home. Colors, cuts, and finishes that range from rough to highly polished can be used in a variety of settings. Adding radiant heat beneath a stone floor makes it even more functional and wonderfully comforting underfoot.

Stone will retain warmth, so it’s

PEREGRINE DESIGN/BUILD

a great way to dry items in a

49 Commerce Avenue

mudroom or entryway.

South Burlington, VT (802) 383-1808 peregrinedesignbuild.com

Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 53

PHOTO BY SUSAN TEARE

PHOTO BY PEREGRINE DESIGN/BUILD

PHOTO BY SUSAN TEARE

WOOD With so many species of wood, there are almost unlimited choices in using its natural character, colors, and textures to add personality to your home. Mixing styles from farmhouse to contemporary can be bridged through wood.

Wood creates warmth and a sense of history in your space. Wood has been used for generations to build homes that are both functional and beautiful. Not only can this be achieved in new wood builds, but by reclaiming and reusing wood from historical structures, the past is brought into the present.

PAPER Wallpaper can make a statement about your style, from bold to subtle or traditional to contemporary. The has been making a comeback. A little nervous about taking the plunge? The new peel and stick wallpaper is a great way to experiment without making a huge commitment.

54 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

PHOTO BY PEREGRINE DESIGN/BUILD

use of this historical wall treatment

PHOTO BY RYAN BENT

METAL Metals in your living spaces, whether in a staircase or stove hood, can be expressed in a variety of finishes, such as natural, burnished, or painted, to suit your style. The blending of hard surfaces with warm wood tops and floors creates a pleasing layering effect. The use of natural elements in the design of a home has the ability to create a space as unique as the

PHOTO BY SUSAN TEARE

family that lives in it.

Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 55

BY SY B I L K E E F E

Efficiency and living Green

start in the planning FROM THE GROUND UP AT HILLSIDE AT O’BRIEN FARM

T

his September, the latest update to the Residential Building Energy Standards (RBES) goes into effect, requiring all new residential construction to satisfy energy conservation requirements for heating, ventilating, lighting, water heating, and power usage for appliances.

The original 1998 legislation put Vermont ahead of many states, and the RBES are updated on a three-year cycle. For O’Brien Brothers, a developer and builder, the rules provide a base to expand upon for a fully integrated efficiency and environmental standard exemplifying best practices in new 56 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

construction, like at Hillside at O’Brien Farm in South Burlington.

CAREFUL PLANNING YIELDS EFFICIENT RESULTS The high-density neighborhood, located on South Burlington’s bike path, is close to public transportation. Every site has been carefully considered to reduce its impact on the environment. Throughout the development of the 115 home sites, 80 percent of construction waste is diverted from landfills and recycled, 34 percent of which is used at the McNeal Power Plant to help power the City of Burlington.

Neighborhood streets are 15 feet wide and integrate with sidewalks, reducing the amount of impervious and paved surfaces exposed to sunlight. Even the foundation gravel is from unearthed stone crushed on-site, avoiding 95 tons of CO2 emissions from trucking in the gravel.

GREAT PARTNERS BRING HIGH VALUE With nearly 60 percent of the development sold or under reservation, the neighborhood is well on its way to fruition. Homeowners benefit from the intentional design of the neighborhood and efficiency of their single-family home or townhome. “We’ve had valuable partners throughout this entire process,” says Evan Langfeldt, CEO of O’Brien Brothers. Those partnerships include flooring and window vendors to create the first-ever, on-site design center, so prospective buyers don’t have to drive all over town for selections. All homes offer the latest energy-efficient materials,

from top-notch insulation, high-performance windows, and airtight construction. The roof will support solar panels to install during construction or later. In the latest collaboration with Efficiency Vermont, every new home will receive the Efficiency Vermont Base Level 2.0 Certification, which estimates an average $2,348 in annual utility costs of an approximately 2,500 square foot home.

To preview the home designs and custom options go to www.HillsideatOBrienFarm.com or call (802) 662-0162. The Lipkin Audette Team of Coldwell Banker Hickok & Boardman represents Hillside at O’Brien Farm.

Hickok and Boardman 346 Shelburne Road Burlington, VT (802) 863-1500 www.hickokandboardman.com Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 57

quality of life Interior design can inspire and support you

AFTER BEFORE

T

he design of the rooms of your home can soothe your mind, body, and spirit.

Choosing the right furniture and accessories for your lifestyle is highly personal, and everything working together creates an atmosphere of comfort and serenity to support your daily life. Candy Weston of Weston

Weston Design 26 Weeping Willow South Burlington, VT/Hilton Head (802) 793-2953 www.westondesignvt.com

58 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

Design talked to us about how to make your home fit how you and your family live.

With all of the time we now spend at home—even working from home—are your clients’ needs changing?

With the effects of COVID-19 and working from home, home schooling, and sheltering in place, we have seen a shift in the needs of our clients. We’re spending more time than ever in our homes. People are noticing the rooms that haven’t felt right for some time and are wanting to update or renovate these spaces. When things aren’t in alignment with how we want to live, it can create stress in our life. People are adding

Clockwise from opposite: This comfy, casual dining space gets a lift with vintage lighting, contemporary art, and bespoke upholstery. A vintage French tapestry, perfectly matching the drapery fabric, was discovered and used above the fireplace.

Decorative paint transformed the dining table and chairs. The dark blue tone on the walls and adding built-ins transformed this lake house sitting room into a home office you never want to leave.

areas for exercise and entertainment. They’re wanting to have areas for more family bonding and hanging out together, and certainly their home office spaces are getting an update.

The words interior design can intimidate some people. Where do you start with someone with little to no experience working with an interior designer?

I begin in the same place with everyone, whether they’ve worked with an interior designer previously or not. The first step is always listening to their needs, wants, likes, and dislikes and what they like about their current home or layout and what isn’t working

for them. Finding out if you’re a good match is crucial, so then I discuss how the process works, and if it seems like this could be a win-win situation, we go from there. Your home design is very personal. Once you meet with an interior designer, any feelings of intimidation hopefully turn to feelings of excitement. If not, interview another designer.

It’s important to understand that you’re going to be spending a significant amount of time with your interior designer. Trust and comfort are very important.

What’s the best approach to a project? All in or maybe one room at a time?

The best approach is whatever you are comfortable with as far as time and budget.

Most clients do a room or two at a time.

What’s very important is to be sure you have a vision for the whole house even if you choose to work on only one room at a time. Your home should look curated and collected over time, no matter the style, to reflect the best of you and your family. What you want to stay away from is adapting a farmhouse style for Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 59

AFTER BEFORE

A custom vanity, marble tile, and whimsical lighting turn quirky angles into a charming bathroom retreat.

one room and then deciding you really like mid-century modern and switching to that style in another room. You can mix styles, but make sure the rooms flow.

60 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

There is so much new technology, products, and furniture. How do you stay on top of what’s available?

I’m always reading and speaking with my sales reps and other designers around the

COZY UP TO FALL

country about companies and products they’ve had good luck with, but our clients’ needs really drive a lot of this. Weston Design is about getting to know the client, understanding their day-to-day living, and then selecting everything based on what is going to work for them and help them with how they want to live. We believe when you invest in your home, you invest in your life.

We reach for what is timeless, not trendy. We understand interior design is a big commitment and we want to capture the essence of our clients from the beginning.

WOMEN

MEN

KIDS

JEWELRY

ACCESSORIES

GIFTS

BURLINGTON VERMONT • WNDNWVS.COM • 802-540-2529 • FREE SHIPPING

Why did you choose interior design as your career?

What drives you?

The belief that everything starts at home is what drives me. I have a deep belief that when we are in environments where we feel the best of ourselves is materialized around us, we feel wrapped in our authentic nature.

It’s warmth, love, compassion, respect, confidence—it’s all the good things in life.

We experience life in our homes, create memories in our homes. We collect all this and we carry it with us. Home can launch us forward in life. I believe every person deserves a home that reflects the best of who they are and one that makes them feel proud.

I am so energized and deeply humbled every time a client chooses me to assist them in creating their home. I strive for every client to feel that I captured them and their home.

Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 61

B U R L I N GTO N

Slate expands to offer design services

Meeting a Demand

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BEST OF CENTRAL VERMONT | SPRING 2020

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late’s store on Church Street invites you to slow down and appreciate your surroundings. Celebrating globally inspired design, Slate features a range of beautifully handcrafted, ethically sourced, and locally made products for both home and lifestyle.

Their product offerings span from furniture and textiles to jewelry and handbags, making the store a destination for gift givers and homeowners alike.

DESIGN SERVICES Along with their store and website, Slate has begun to expand their services to interior design. The addition of design services was a logical and sought-after next step. Inspired by

perusing the store, customers were commonly seeking advice on furniture, layouts, and textiles within their own homes. Over the past year, Slate has taken on a variety of design jobs, including small accessory refreshes, single-room makeovers, Airbnb rentals, furniture and layout updates, and many more.

Wildewood homes are located minutes from Stowe Mountain Resort and offer access to the Catamount Trail right outside their doors.

The intention with the furnishings chosen for Wildewood was to give it a cozy ski house feel but to allow for the space to be used yearround, as these homes are being constructed

WILDEWOOD All of the photos seen here are from their latest project, the model unit at a new Stowe development, Wildewood. Slate curated, designed, and staged all interior furnishings and accessories of the Wildewood model unit.

Overall architecture and finishes were designed

by Youkel architecture + development. The

SLATE 89 Church Street Burlington, VT (802) 540-6850 www.slatehome.co

Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 63

with full-time residents in mind. The main living area features luxurious textiles with wool and fur detailing that allow you to enjoy time spent nestled up by the fire in the winter, but these pieces can also be easily switched out for a light cotton throw and a couple flax linen pillows as you transition to enjoying the well-lit space during the summer months.

THE PROCESS Slate’s typical design process starts with a home consultation (either in person or virtual) to tour the space, take measurements and photos, and to understand the scope and priorities of the project. Slate’s designers work in tandem with each other and the client, providing mood boards, layouts, and furniture options to ensure the overall vision and goals are being met. After curating, ordering, and arranging delivery of all elements comes the most challenging and rewarding part of the process: Install day. This is where the vision comes to life and the designers delight in adding the small touches that help to bring the room together to exceed their client’s expectations.

64 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

BURLINGTON

BY VIRGINIA DEAN

FROM DRAWINGS TO DREAM HOME

Timeless Designs FULFILLS CLIENTS’ VISIONS

Timeless Designs 9 Dodge Road Wolcott, VT (802) 793-8061 www.timelessdesigns -architecture.com

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he architectural construct is sleek.

Simple. Sharp. It is Timeless Designs of Wolcott, Vermont, offering residential and historic commercial design services that include, but are not limited to, new construction and renovations.

THREE-PHASE DESIGN PROCESS “We follow a three-phase design process for all projects,” says owner and executive director

Ray Boutin. “Each phase builds on the previous phase. In comparison to building a house, it is important to start with a solid foundation (schematic design). On that foundation, we can build a frame that will last for generations (design development). Lastly, we put the finishing touches that make every home unique (construction documents).”

In 2017 in Milton, Vermont, for example, client Shaun Brooks approached Ray

Clockwise from opposite: A traditional white farmhouse with traditional wrap-around porch and red barn, which is a two-car garage. Back covered porch with back patio and gas fire pit. The existing farmhouse during demolition.

indicating that he wanted to renovate an existing farmhouse that is surrounded by beautiful farmland and stunning views to the west. He wanted to add a second-floor master suite, two-car garage, and a wraparound porch. The exterior was to look like a traditional farmhouse. The interior was to have an open layout with farmhouse finishes.

The main level of the existing house would have the kitchen, dining room, and living room with no separation between them. An addition would have a large mudroom and home office on the first floor. He needed three bedrooms for his children and a master suite that would have a large soaking tub and spacious walk-in closet.

“During construction, the ‘attic’ space above both the garage and house had a lot of potential usable space,” says Ray. “We set up the space above the garage to be a large office, while the attic in the house has two extra guest rooms.”

Ordinarily, during what Ray calls the schematic design phase, he and his crew Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 67

Clockwise from above: Open interior with dining room and kitchen separated by the central stairs.

View of the kitchen. Two large maple trees at the front of the house anchor it to the land.

work closely with their clients to establish the program (wish list), scope of the project, working budget, and a general sense of the desired aesthetic.

REFINING THE PLAN “We design the floor plans, exterior elevations, and the basic character of the house,” says Ray. “These drawings can be used to secure conceptual architectural review board approvals.”

In the design development stage, the information in the schematic design phase is refined. The team begins to focus on specific elements that together form the whole (e.g., building sections, trim details, kitchen layout, types of heating systems) and works to ensure that the proposed design is realistic in terms of budget.

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The focus of the construction document phase is on producing the necessary documents for the bidding process and construction. It also includes the addition/ editing of details and documenting the specifications. “It is our goal to have every detail documented prior to sending the

design out to bid,” says Ray. “This allows for a more streamlined bidding process and, ultimately, an accurate bid by contractors.”

THE HANDS-ON CLIENT Shaun was what Ray calls a “hands-on client” and, as such, came to Ray with an overall

vision—not typically something clients do.

He provided Ray with sketches and photos to illustrate his vision. “From there, I would work his ideas into a well-thought-out home with a lot of back and forth dialogue,” says Ray. “Shaun did the legwork in selecting the products and working with the manufacturers to order products, typically sending me the manufacturers’ quotes and specifications to make sure it worked with the design.” Shaun was so hands-on, Ray related, that he did a lot of the site work himself using his own heavy equipment.

Once a design is complete, the Timeless Designs team continues to work with its clients and contractors to ensure that the project is brought to fruition and is in accordance with the design, schedule, and budget. This includes weekly project meetings; a review of the progress of construction; overseeing the contractor; reviewing shop designs and submittals; preparing and confirming the completion and that the certificate of occupancy is issued.

The Brooks farmhouse was completed in the winter of 2019. Shaun's partner, Darcy Tomlinson, says Ray was a pleasure to work with. “We were looking for someone with expertise in 1800s-style Vermont farmhouses, and he designed our dream home,” says Darcy.

“People literally stop daily and take pictures.

Ray was always available via text or phone call in the middle of the project when we needed him the most. I would highly recommend working with him.”

Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 69

B U R L I N GTO N

A Vermont Gem Historic Governor Martin Chittenden House becomes available

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he Martin Chittenden House is one of the most historically significant homes in Vermont. It was built in 1797 by Thomas Chittenden, the first Governor of Vermont, for his son Martin as a wedding gift. The home is a beautiful and meticulously updated example of the Federal Style.

Martin Chittenden was a Major General in the Vermont Militia, a Vermont state representative, and a judge, and he represented the state of Vermont for ten years in the U.S. Congress. He was a delegate to the constitutional convention and served as the eighth governor of Vermont.

A BEAUTY FOR 200+ YEARS This home has seen numerous updates and improvements over the more than two centuries that it has stood in Jericho, with perhaps the greatest improvements executed by its current owners. The passion they have lavished on this magnificent piece of Vermont history is evident in every corner of the six bedrooms and seven bathrooms.

The exterior of the home is notable for its unusual diamondpattern Flemish bond brickwork. Other exceptional features of the home include gleaming wide plank flooring, spacious and airy rooms, numerous fireplaces, a brand-new updated kitchen, attached screen porch, outbuildings, and gardens. As part of the renovations, the newest owners updated the electrical and plumbing systems, added insulation, and improved the windows.

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Vermont Real Estate Company 431 Pine Street, Suite 118 Burlington, VT (802) 540-8300 www.vermontrealestatecompany.com

A REMARKABLE FOCAL POINT Perhaps the most noteworthy feature is the historic over-mantel painting. Painted directly on the wall at the time of building, it shows patriotic emblems such as the eagle of the Great Seal of the United States above a Vermont spruce and a United States flag with 16 stars and stripes. The number of stars and stripes is significant in that it shows that the piece was painted in 1796, when Tennessee became the sixteenth state.

With the historical significance of the exterior faรงade and the over-mantel painting, certain features of the house are attached to the deed by the Preservation Trust of Vermont.

The property sits on two acres and is surrounded by 80 acres of farmland that is protected by the Vermont Land Trust. This remarkable, historic home has recently come on the market.

Property listed by Randy Violette, MLS# 4817926. For more information, contact Vermont Real Estate Company.

ONLINE EXTRA View a video of this historic home online at at www.bestofburlingtonvt.com.

Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 71

Inspired closetS Create peaceful mornings… and a peaceful life

mountains of clothes and shoes so large that you need to put your hiking boots on to traverse them. Or the garage that resembles an obstacle course. Perhaps it’s a mudroom overflowing with sports equipment.

DESIGN Inspiration comes easy at the 3,000 square-foot show room. With so many design possibilities out there, it can be hard to settle on just one.

But with 14 full-size vignettes to look at, customers can easily visualize the possibilities and turn a dream into something attainable.

PREPARE The goal at Inspired Closets is to make your life easier. To that end, they take on the hassle. From providing you with complimentary clothing racks prior to the installation to removing and disposing of the old closet system, they make the process easy and stress-free.

INSTALL

Owners Elizabeth and Todd Warren.

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t’s 9am and you’re on time for work, feeling relaxed, organized, and inspired. There’s confidence in your steps because you know you look put together. Stylish. Assured.

Mornings are a breeze because you have a closet system that really works for you. Your outfits come together in a snap, no matter how rushed you are.

That’s the magic of Inspired Closets. Personalized designs mean a stress-free lifestyle. To bring organization to even the wildest closets, the team at Inspired Closets starts with an easy four-step process.

CONSULT Chat with a professional designer during your free in-home design consultation about what’s irking you. Maybe it’s maneuvering around 72 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

Inspired Closets installers are perfectionists who pay attention to the smallest of details. They never rely on subcontractors but instead have a professional staff of year-round full-time installers. They take pride in punctuality and will leave your space cleaner than before.

If there’s one thing experience has taught the experts at Inspired Closets, it’s that people don’t want things to be overdesigned.

Whether you need help with a closet, mudroom, garage, laundry room, home office, or a Murphy Bed design, they take the time to listen to exactly what the client wants so they can fulfill the dream of a stress-free lifestyle.

INSPIRED CLOSETS 17 Echo Place Williston, VT InspiredClosetsVT.com (802) 658-0000

The 3,000 sq. ft. showroom in Williston, Vermont, has 14 full-size vignettes. Your personalized design comes to life in 3D with a free in-home or virtual design consultation.

Green Community At Wake Robin Life Plan Community, residents have designed and built over four miles of walking trails. Each spring, they make maple syrup in the community sugar house, and each fall they harvest honey from our beehives.

Residents compost, plant gardens, use locally grown foods, and work with staff to follow earth-friendly practices.

To learn more about our vibrant life plan community visit wakerobin.com or call to schedule a visit...virtual or in person!

WakeRobin Vermont’s Life Plan Community 802.264.5100 / wakerobin.com 200 WAKE ROBIN DRIVE, SHELBURNE, VT 05482 Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 73

B U R L I N GTO N

Windows and Doors

by

BrowNell

A home designed for wellness

Clockwise from top: Bring the outside in like this living room featuring a Marvin Ultimate Bi-Fold Door.

This home office features the Infinity from Marvin awning and picture window.

Bathroom featuring the Elevate Casement Narrow Frame.

like sunshine to lift one’s spirits. Exposure to sunlight also leads to increased production of endorphins and absorption of vitamin D, which actively support health and happiness.

Now that we have all been spending more time inside, Windows & Doors By Brownell is offering some helpful ideas on how to bring a feeling of health and wellness into your home.

LIGHT-FILLED LIVING ROOM

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hen we think about wellness, we think about eating right, being active, and generally being in state of good health. But can a house be designed to promote wellness? Of course it can! There’s mounting scientific evidence that good weather and a connection to the outdoors increases physical as well as emotional well-being. There’s nothing quite 74 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

A living room is designed for family gatherings, conversations, and a place to relax.

This space should offer light and a place to open up.

A NEW WAY OF WORKING Forget a dark basement office or an impromptu space carved out of a kitchen or dining room. The new home office space should inspire and fuel productivity during the daily grind.

GETTING READY AND STAYING RELAXED Getting out of bed in the morning might be a little easier with a relaxing routine to start the day. Create a space for getting ready for your day that inspires you with light and nature.

Think about the wellness within yourself and your home. Whether you are building new or remodeling your current home, keep natural light and the great outdoors in mind.

The professionals at Windows & Doors By Brownell can help make your window and door replacement projects a reality.

Windows & Doors By Brownell is a local family-owned and -operated Marvin retailer proudly supporting Vermont, the Upper Valley of New Hampshire, and the Adirondacks of New York. In-person and virtual consultations available.

Windows & Doors By Brownell Williston, VT West Lebanon, NH (800) 773-4803 wdbrownell.com

B U R L I N GTO N

Red house building

PHOTOS BY LINDSAY SELIN PHOTOGRAPHY

Battling the elements—and succeeding

ZEN RETREAT This 4,500 square-foot house built in Fayston by Red House Building has breathtaking westerly views to the slopes of Mad River Glen and Green Mountains. The exterior is composed of Japanese Shou Sugi Ban siding, boardform concrete, and natural hemlock ceilings. The interior is a combination of bright, soaring rooms, private retreat spaces, and modern minimalism.

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he task to build this disciplined design was “exceptionally rewarding and challenging,” according to Chris Quinn, General Manager of Red House Building. “The location and season of this build was unrelenting.” Combined with the elevation of the site and the early onset of winter, the conditions were difficult from start to finish. “We battled complicating snow and frost conditions right to the end,” says Chris. “That much snow is certainly better for skiing than building. It created a scenario where a very large volume of work needed

to be executed in early summer with some unconventional sequencing in order to meet a move-in target.” It worked.

Red House Building 382 Hercules Drive Colchester, VT info@redhousebuilding.com www.redhousebuilding.com

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Clockwise from top left: The kitchen is sleek and modern with complementing elements of steel, stone, and wood with cabinets by Pomerantz Cabinetry. A custom floor-to-ceiling pivot-style door acts as the formal entry into the home. The staircase by Flywheel Industrial Arts is a prominent architectural feature of the interior space and features large, blackened-steel stringers and railings with floating white oak treads.

A DESIGN TAKES SHAPE The execution of many modern and minimalist details started very early with the structure itself. Chris and his team spent considerable time working through the steel structure and stair design to yield a unique composition that is both elegant and robust. Considerable attention also went into the wood ceiling and exterior soffit design, which blend the interior and exterior. The warm hemlock ceilings provide a complement to the dark exterior and white interior. The ceiling assembly is constructed to provide sound attenuation, which can be very helpful in large open-living spaces. Design is by Elizabeth Herrmann Architecture + Design.

LOCAL TALENT The project tapped many local craftspeople to execute its unique, character-defining features.

Some of the notable elements include the blackened steel staircase and cabinetry bases, white oak pivoting entry door and sliding barn door, sleek wood-veneer cabinetry, polished concrete floors, and some fantastic exterior concrete work. The cantilevered concrete terrace, with exposed aggregate, ties many house and landscape elements together. “I really like the floor-to-ceiling pivot door assemblies which punctuate many rooms.”

The landscaping is minimal and functional.

The seemingly endless supply of boulders from excavation were put to use in retaining walls and important site drainage features.

“It was a fantastic project to be part of,” notes Chris, “and really made me appreciate the teams of craftspeople we can collaborate with in order to execute stunning and rigorous designs.”

Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 77

BY MARK AIKEN

A Tale of

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Mountain Biking at Cochran’s

he snowsports community has long known Cochran’s Ski Area as an incredible family resource; indeed, the nonprofit ski area’s mantra is “No child will be denied the opportunity to ski or ride.”

Conversely, Cochran’s biking center has never been known as family-friendly—or even 78 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

as an official place to ride. Rather, you would only mountain bike at Cochran’s if you wanted to deal with steep, technical, rooty, and rocky climbs and precipitous sidehills. Trail signage was scarce; chances of getting lost probable.

Descents were hair-raising. Some routes were rumored to be uphill both ways. In other

words, Cochran’s was for advanced riders only—until now.

True to the nonprofit’s mission, Cochran’s unveiled a pump track and two beginner bike loops this spring. Families, kids, and beginning mountain bikers can gather at Cochran’s to learn on nonthreatening terrain. “We’re

PHOTO BY ANNAVITTE RAND.

Two Rides

Opposite: Thumbs up from Karin Rand on Cochran's Enduro track.

Clockwise from left: Since 1961 the Cochran family has welcomed visitors to their homegrown ski hill. Retro trail signage on Skully's Mile. Ingrid, the author's daughter, poses after shredding Rock 'n' Roll, the newest beginner loop built by Dana Cabrera. Photos this page by Mark Aiken.

subbing bikes for skis,” says Jimmy Cochran, manager at the Ski Area and former alpine ski racer. The cost to ride at Cochran’s?

Completely free.

A TALE OF TWO RIDES Mickey and Ginny Cochran founded the ski area when they moved to the farmhouse along the Winooski River a mile from Richmond’s Old Round Church. The family’s history and homemade rope tow, their World Cup and Olympic skiing accomplishments, their founding of America’s first nonprofit 501(c)(3) ski area, and their introduction of thousands of Vermonters to snowsports is well-documented. Undocumented are summer happenings at Cochran’s— mostly because they’ve been under the radar.

I recently rode at Cochran’s twice in a span of three days—the first ride with Jimmy on the main network and the second with my own kids (ages seven and five) on the pump track and beginner loops. It was a tale of two vastly different riding experiences.

“It’s always been a part of this place,” says Jimmy of trails and biking. I’m not sure why I felt qualified to follow Jimmy on the climb to Skully’s Mile. I bought my mountain bike last year; Jimmy, a two-time Olympian in alpine skiing, has been riding since not long after he learned to ski (that is, young). “We biked everywhere we could,” says Jimmy. “In the yard. In the driveway. In the basement!”

The Skully’s loop is new compared to the original trails built by Richmond biking gurus Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 79

Above: Volunteer trail workers put the finishing touches on Rock 'n' Roll. Photo courtesy of Cochran's.

Below: The Second Ride: Ingrid and Gunnar get ready to hit the Pump Track. Photo by Mark Aiken.

Opposite: Jimmy Cochran, general manager of Cochran's and grandson of founders Mickey and Ginny Cochran, poses in front of the new Pump Track after a quick lap on Skully's Mile. Photo by Mark Aiken.

Tyler Merritt, Aaron Loomis, and others in the late 1990s—trails whose cryptic (and sometimes nonexistent) trail markers in some ways only added to the network’s mystique.

(Note: now there’s a bike map at the ski area base and improved signage.) The climb to Skully’s Mile is steep and sustained but—by Cochran’s standards—straightforward. And the sculpted and banked downhill is thrilling. What I lack in biking experience I make up for in endurance built over years of distance running and a lifetime of skiing. Hopefully I didn’t hold Jimmy up too much.

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BETTER BIKES, BETTER TRAILS The sport of mountain biking has blown up since the spring of 2020—the era of COVID-19. “We’re seeing a significant uptick,” says Jimmy, noting that Vermonters have turned to outdoor recreation for their physical and mental health. According to Mike Donahue, Richmond rider and co-owner of Burlington’s Outdoor Gear Exchange, bike sales everywhere have been historic.

But mountain biking has been exploding for a decade. Why? Better bikes and better trails.

“It’s hard to overstate how much better and more capable mountain bikes have become,” says Mike. Larger wheels, wider tires, wider handlebars, improved bike geometry and suspension, disc brakes, no front derailleurs (and therefore better shifting), and dropper seat posts give riders increased performance and confidence. “Bikes are substantially more capable and versatile,” says Mike.

Meanwhile, volunteer-powered local mountain bike chapters and the Vermont Mountain Bike Association have fueled trail construction—at all ability levels. Grants and donations for the new Cochran’s features came from RiseVT, Outdoor Gear Exchange, Earl’s Cyclery, anonymous sources, and Cochran’s.

Meanwhile, Jimmy’s brother Tom organized a GoFundMe campaign. “It’s a partnership of Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 81

Above: Catching air on Cochran's Enduro track.

Photo by Annavitte Rand.

Below: Post-ride reflection. In mere months, these trails will be snow-covered and full of skiers and riders. Photo by Mark Aiken.

a lot of organizations, and there is a lot of community support,” says Jimmy, noting, in particular, neighbors on Cochran Road. “I hope the experience stays positive for them,” he says.

One young neighbor has been integral in Cochran’s biking evolution. A recent high school graduate, Dana Cabrera got into mountain biking in eighth grade. However, he soon tired of depending on his mom for transportation to novice mountain biking trails. “My buddy and I started riding Cochran’s,” Dana says. “We pretty much had to carry our bikes up.”

Eventually, Dana improved. Still driven by convenience, he longed for a trail connecting his house with the adjoining trail network. With his dad Andy, another avid 82 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

rider, the two built AC/DC (note the initials)— which quickly became one of the most traveled trails on the network. Before long, Dana was finding work around Vermont as a trail builder to the point that he created his own company—Mountain Trailworx—while still in high school. His most famous trail? Skully’s, the downhill I rode with Jimmy. “We’ve put over 400 hours into building, improving, and maintaining that trail,” Dana says. Why? Because it’s his backyard.

THE SECOND RIDE Cochran’s used two of Vermont’s finest professional trail builders. One was Dana, who built the beginner loop Rock ’n’ Roll (a riff on AC/DC?). The other was Brooke Scatchard, venerated trail builder (and mentor to Dana), who built Brookside.

“They are magicians,” says Jimmy. “They operate mini-excavators, they removed every stone and tree root, and they always keep the final goal in front of mind.” The challenge, says Dana, was building a trail with less than a five percent grade on the side of a mountain.

Which brings me to my second Cochran’s ride—the pump track visit with my kids. My seven-year-old son spent more time running over the bumps and rolls than he did riding.

My five-year-old daughter was more enthusiastic about two-wheeling… provided I ran alongside her for moral support. She sang “Wheeeee!” over every roller.

As we headed towards Rock ’n’ Roll then Brookside, it occurred to me as my son carefully navigated the ups and downs and my daughter whooped and “whee”-ed, that we were the end goal Jimmy mentions—new riders. My son was getting a feel for biking independence while my daughter was feeling the exhilaration and adrenaline of trail riding for the first time. “Some of the families we see in winter are showing back up in summer,” Jimmy says with a satisfied smile. And that’s what the Cochran family, and their many supporters, ultimately want. z

Cochran’s Ski Area 910 Cochran Road Richmond, VT (802) 434-2479 cochranskiarea.com Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 83

BY BART BEESON PHOTOS COURTESY OF VERMONT HUTS ASSOCIATION

84 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

THE BIRTH OF VERMONT’S HUT NETWORK

Go exploring then relax in comfort

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n a typical winter day at the Chittenden Brook Hut in the Green Mountain National Forest, you’ll find rows of skis and splitboards leaning up against the deck railing. Inside, the current guests will be enjoying the warmth from the propane stove after a long day of skiing in the nearby backcountry zones of Brandon Gap. The attention to detail in the cabin design is obvious: mountain profiles on the back of one of the benches, a poured concrete countertop for the cooking area with a slick mountain profile backsplash, and a cozy reading nook that doubles as a sleeping cove for two. With the babbling of the nearby brook, it’s hard to imagine a more idyllic location for a winter getaway.

Triple Creek Cabin located along the Catamount Trail in Huntington. Photo by Sam van Gerbig.

CREATING A HUT NETWORK The Chittenden Hut is the first completed project of the Vermont Huts Association, or VT Huts, which began in 2016 when a group of folks from various organizations got together to talk about creating a statewide hut network. Representatives from the Catamount Trail Organization, the Vermont Backcountry Alliance, the Green Mountain Club, and the Randolph Area Sports Trail Alliance, as well as several other individuals, discussed whether existing organizations could Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 85

Above: The loft interior in the Triple Creek Cabin.

Right: The Triple Creek Cabin shown during a snow squall. Photos by Sam van Gerbig.

take on the task of developing a network or if it should be run by a separate group. “We needed an organization that could be agile and operate in four seasons,” says VT Huts Executive Director R.J. Thompson. “So Devin Littlefield and I formed the nonprofit that year and pretty much hit the ground running.”

The central goal of VT Huts is to create an end-to-end style experience in Vermont for skiers, bikers, and hikers. To that end, they are 86 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

also working closely with numerous mountain biking chapters to create the Velemont Trail, which would connect towns, villages, and trail systems across the state for a hut-to-hut riding and skiing experience.

Since forming in 2016, VT Huts has come a long way. They currently promote eight huts, including the Nulhegan Hut, the Crow’s Nest Yurt, the Triple Creek Cabin, and the Chittenden Brook Hut, all of which can be booked through their website. For the building of the Chittenden Brook Hut, they partnered with Yestermorrow, a Waitsfield-based building and designing school. Much of the work on the exterior deck and railing, as well as interior work, was done by volunteers. R.J. says that one of Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 87

Above: A family enjoys a ski day at the Chittenden Brook Hut in the Green Mountain National Forest.

Right: Family and friends enjoy the warm interior of the Chittenden Brook Hut. Photos by Marius Becker.

his favorite parts of the whole endeavor has been the volunteer response. “They’re super motivated and with minimal call to action on our end they tend to show up in good numbers.” He cites the winter of 2018 as an example, when volunteers showed up despite blizzards and made it up the two-mile access road to Chittenden Brook to finish the hut.

RISING TO MEET CHALLENGES The effort has not been without its challenges, and even some intrigue. In 2017, the Trust for Public Land purchased a house that was to be the crown jewel of the hut system. Says R.J., “It was a beautiful log home and we were going to 88 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

Vermont Huts Association 51 Main Street Stowe, VT (802) 798-3003 vermonthuts.org

Photo: Jim Westphalen

retrofit it with a few modifications to make it accessible according to the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and turn it into a hut. Two nights before we were scheduled to do an overnight to feel out the situation and better understand what needed to be done there, I got a call that someone torched it.” No charges were ever filed for what was determined to be arson. According to R.J., they hope to rebuild something in the vicinity of the old cabin if the land is eventually transferred to the Green Mountain National Forest.

Of course, the coronavirus pandemic has presented challenges as well. In response, the association has instituted various measures to ensure the health and safety of their guests.

All reservations are for the entire hut, and guests are required to fill out a digital health survey on the day of their arrival to make sure no guests are symptomatic. Check-in and check-out times have been modified to allow more of a buffer between guest stays.

VT Huts tries to adequately stock its huts with hand sanitizer, cleaning agents, and disposable gloves but encourages guests to bring their own supplies as well. Finally, full refunds are given for any reservation canceled due to COVID-19 illness, including those canceled by VT Huts due to future government or self-imposed shutdowns.

As for the future of VT Huts, R.J. says they hope that eventually the network will be statewide, stretching from the northern border with Canada to the Massachusetts border in the south. He adds that he’d like to have huts in most counties in the state, expanding to the east and west as well, so that it’s not just a linear network. “I would hope that we truly can offer a bikepacking experience with the huts, allowing that opportunity to tie into rural communities and provide the users of the trail with the huts experience in the backcountry and a taste of Vermont’s towns as they navigate through the network.” z

253-2169 | Stowe, VT | cushmandesign.com

LIKE CRAFT BEER? YOU'LL LOVE

Your guide to

LOCAL BREWERIES, CIDERIES, DISTILLERIES, AND WINERIES www.BrewViewVT.com Fall 2020 | Best of Burlington | 89

FALL HAPPENINGS | CALENDAR OF EVENTS BURTT’S APPLE ORCHARD 283 Cabot Plains Road, Cabot www.burttsappleorchard.com

CHAMPLAIN ORCHARDS

3597 VT Route 74 W, Shoreham www.champlainorchards.com

CORTLAND HILL ORCHARD 72 Miller Road, Brattleboro www.facebook.com/Cortland-Hill -Orchard-1715196975454457

GREEN MOUNTAIN ORCHARDS 130 W Hill Road, Putney www.greenmtorchards.com

SHELBURNE ORCHARDS

U-PICK ACROSS VERMONT

Vermont is blessed with many pick-your-own apple orchards. For a fuller list, visit vermontapples.org/vermont-orchard-listing.

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CopperLeafFinancial.com

WOODMAN HILL ORCHARD

175 Plank Road, Vergennes www.facebook.com/woodmanhillorchard

Helping business owners survive and thrive in the new normal.

Proactive, not reactive tax strategizing.

INNOVATIVE // ENTREPRENEURIAL // EXPERIENCED WILLISTON:

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216 Orchard Road, Shelburne www.shelburneorchards.com /u-pick/covid-19

802.878.1963 RUTLAND: 802.775.7132 www.dh-cpa.com

sugarbush.com

800.53.SUGAR

#sugarbushvt

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic we are not providing our usual events listings. See below for a list of venues and their contact information for when they return to normal operations.

BURLINGTON CITY ARTS 135 Church Street, Burlington (802) 865-7166 www.burlingtoncityarts.org

be here

It’s said that people come here because they want to be here. Maybe it’s the incredible snow or the legendary terrain or the pure majesty of our Mad River Valley setting. All good reasons to call Sugarbush home, but in the end, it’s the camaraderie of our people that makes everyone feel so welcome here.

Come to Sugarbush. You belong here.

CHURCH STREET MARKETPLACE www.churchstmarketplace.com

FLYNN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 153 Main Street, Burlington (802) 86-FLYNN www.flynncenter.org

HIGHER GROUND

1214 Williston Road, South Burlington www.highergroundmusic.com

THE ESSEX EXPERIENCE 21 Essex Way, Essex (802) 878-4200 www.essexexperience.com

VERMONT COMEDY CLUB 101 Main Street, Burlington www.vermontcomedyclub.com

VERMONT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 2 Church Street, Burlington www.vso.org

92 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

The Quiver [kwiv-er] n.

1. That collection of beloved boards that you sometimes sleep with, is constantly growing with no need for justification, and is the reason the garage is your favorite room in the house.

2. Two Eggs any style with choice of bacon, ham, chorizo, sausage or veggie sausage. Served with choice of toast and homefries.

WED-SAT: 8AM-9PM

SUN-TUES: 8AM-3PM

THE SPOT 210 SHELBURNE ROAD • 802-540-1778 • THESPOTVT.COM

ADVERTISERS INDEX For more information about print and online advertising opportunities, contact John or Robin Gales at (802) 5582719 or email coffeetablepublishing@comcast.net.

802.764.1452 SPAATTHEESSEX.COM

94 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

A Little Something............................................................................60 Ann Roche Casual Furniture...........................................................94 Ardesh Finds & Furishings ................................................................5 Bare Medical Spa + Laser Center..................................................... 1 Burlington Emergency and Veterinary Services........................ 25 Burlington Marble and Granite.......................................................15 Catamount Physical Therapy......................................................... 77 Chroma Optics . ................................................................................39 Church Hill Landscapes....................................................................41 City Market..........................................................................................17 Close to Home....................................................................................10 Culligan Water Systems .................................................................95 Cushman Design Group..................................................................89 Davis and Hodgdon Associates.....................................................90 Dear Lucy ............................................................................................. 9 Ecco Clothes.......................................................................................29 Expressions ........................................................................................64 Ferro Estate Jewelers........................................................................ 33 Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty..............................21 Fringe Salon and Lash Bar................................................................81 Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery..............................................................16 Green Envy..........................................................................................39 Harvest Equipment...........................................................................47 Hickok and Boardman Real Estate................Outside Back Cover Inspired Closets ................................................................................64 Istanbul Restaurant............................................................................81 Jamie Two Coats Toy Shop..............................................................29 Jess Boutique.........................................................................................3 Kiss the Cook......................................................................................46 Landshapes.........................................................................................87 Lawson’s Finest Liquids....................................................................16 Midstate Dodge..................................................................................91 Northfield Savings Bank.....................................Inside Front Cover NurseGrown Organics..................................................................... 57 Otter Creek Awnings........................................................................69 Outdoor Gear Exchange...................................................................71 Peregrine Design/Build....................................................................83 Pines Senior Living............................................................................46 Play Dog Play......................................................................................92 Radiance Wellness Spa........................................Inside Back Cover Red House Building........................................................................... 57 Shelburne Tap House....................................................................... 77 Slate.........................................................................................................7 Spalon Euphoria..................................................................................61 Sugarbush Resort..............................................................................92 The Automaster................................................................................... 8 The Carriage Shed . ...........................................................................41 The Essex Experience . ......................................................................11 The Essex Resort and Spa.......................................................... 6, 94 The Spot Restaurant ........................................................................93 Timeless Designs.............................................................................. 23 Tina’s Home Design.............................................................................2 Tom Moore Builder............................................................................13 Total Fitness Equipment..................................................................87 Vermont Cabinetry...........................................................................65 Vermont Handcrafted Furniture Design........................................ 4 Vermont Kitchen Design by Bouchard-Pierce Wolf.................83 Vermont Real Estate Company......................................................34 Volansky Studio Architecture and Planning...............................69 Wagner Hodgson..............................................................................93 Wake Robin......................................................................................... 73 Weston Design...................................................................................19 Whim Boutique.................................................................................... 9 Windows and Doors by Brownell.................................................. 33 WND&WVS........................................................................................61

$49

Culligan Water Technologies Family owned & operated since 1949 802-865-0000 www.CULLIGAN4U.COM

LAST GLANCE

JOY in a simple

find

ray of sunshine

96 | www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

COFFEE TABLE PUBLISHING, LLC 32 Hermit Thrush Lane South Burlington, VT 05403